Judge grants request to pause Trump's hush money case
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Donald Trump in Manhattan criminal court on May 30. Photo: Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The New York judge overseeing President-elect Trump's criminal hush money case on Tuesday granted a request by the defense and prosecution to pause the case in light of Trump's recent election win.
Why it matters: The ruling is a win for Trump — the only president to be convicted of a crime — and the latest instance in which his electoral victory has ground the legal cases against him to a halt.
- Trump faces an unprecedented scenario in which he could be sentenced less than two months before his inauguration. However, Merchan's ruling could change that.
Driving the news: Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo requested Sunday that Merchan pause the case to allow the prosecution time to consider the "impact on this proceeding from the results of the Presidential election," per court documents.
- Trump lawyer Emil Bove wrote the same day that the defense also sought a stay the case's scheduled dates for the immunity motion decision and sentencing.
- In a decision issued Tuesday, Merchan granted the stay until Nov. 19. He gave the prosecution until then to file an outline of appropriate next steps.
Catch up quick: In early July, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision along ideological lines that presidents have immunity for "official acts." That decision undercut the federal Jan. 6 case against the former president brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
- Trump soon after moved to get his criminal conviction in the hush money case dismissed. He made also similar attempts to lean on the immunity ruling in his other legal cases.
- The hush money case represents an early test of how expansive the Supreme Court's immunity decision can be interpreted.
- The judge in each case must determine whether the allegations against Trump constitute "officials acts."
State of play: Trump was convicted in May on 34 counts in New York for falsifying business records in connection with a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels over an alleged sexual encounter.
- The verdict made him the first-ever former U.S. president to be a convicted felon.
- Trump tried a number of unsuccessful tactics to fight the case, from attempting to get Merchan to recuse himself to moving the case to federal court.
Zoom out: Trump's electoral victory has already had ramifications for his other legal cases.
- Days after the election, Smith began winding down both his federal Jan. 6 case and classified documents case against Trump.
- Earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan granted Smith's motion to pause proceedings in the Jan. 6 case.
What to watch: In early September, Merchan agreed to delay sentencing in the case to Nov. 26 in a bid to avoid an appearance of seeking to influence the results of the election.
- Trump was initially set to be sentenced in the case in July. It was then delayed to September.
Go deeper: Judge delays Trump's sentencing date in hush money case until after election
